No one heard “Timber,” only the sound of shears ripping apart concrete during American Services Group Inc.’s, recent demolition of four buildings along Race and Sixth streets in Cincinnati.

The Cleveland-based company, which started the project in December 2001, will continue debris and soil excavation until the September 2002 completion date. The demolition portion of the project was completed on June 14.

The razed buildings were three, four, five and six stories respectively and once housed stores and apartments totalling 72,000 sq. ft.

According to Lisa I. Smith, marketing/business development of American Services Group, “We performed excavation of 6,500 yds. for preparation of a sub-grade floor for a proposed retail store and apartment buildings for a large national construction manager.”

In all, the company removed 10,000 cu. yds. (7,645 cu m) of debris from the site, which was then hauled to the Burger Landfill. The sheet metal and steel on site were recycled, Smith said.

Workers, totaling eight to 10 on site at a time, performed the demolition from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. due to high traffic volume in the downtown Cincinnati area, until the buildings were down to three stories. Then, work continued throughout the day with a barrier wall blocking traffic from the site.

According to Smith, a major challenge during the project was when crews had to work delicately around a common wall shared by an adjacent building, which was not to be demolished. American Services Group worked closely with structural engineers and city officials to develop a strategy to safely demolish and excavate around the wall.

The company also excavated a 2,000-gal. (7,570 L) underground water tank from the site.

Machinery used on the project included a Komatsu PC400, equipped with a Genesis 900 shear, and a Cat 330 excavator. The Komatsu was purchased from Sales Representative Tim Albright of Columbus Equipment, and the Cat 330 was acquired from Sales Representative George McGinness of Holt Cat Equipment.

The future of the site is still in the design stage, according to Smith, but work should begin once American Services has completed its portion of the project.

For more information, call 800/498-2450.

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